Corona discharge plasma reactor for decontamination

• Main Authors: Birmingham, J.G., Irving, P.M.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmospheric-pressure plasmas; Biological materials; BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS; Chemical processes; CHEMICAL REACTORS; CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS; Corona; CORONA DISCHARGES; DECOMPOSITION; Decontamination; DESIGN; ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; Inductors; MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; Plasma applications; Plasma chemistry; Plasma materials processing; PLASMA PRODUCTION; Plasma temperature; REMEDIAL ACTION; TOXIC MATERIALS; USES; WASTE PROCESSING
• ISSN: 0730-9244; 2576-7208
• DOI: 10.1109/PLASMA.1998.677655

Summary form only given. The feasibility of using a gas phase corona plasma to sterilize objects from toxic battlefield, medical, and industrial environments was assessed. Plasma chemical processes can be highly effective in promoting oxidation, enhancing molecular dissociation, or producing free radicals to enhance chemical reaction. Until recently, plasma processes were applied in either the high temperature environment of arc plasmas, or at pressures low enough to give large active volumes with higher electron energies and lower gas temperatures. The evolution of the corona reactor has allowed atmospheric pressure applications of plasma processing at reduced power and low bulk gas temperature. We developed and demonstrated the use of a prototype low temperature, ambient pressure, corona discharge plasma reactor (CDPR), which generates photons, ionized molecules and other active species, to decompose toxic chemical and biological materials. The reactor was used to treat several different types of materials that were contaminated with chemical and biological agent simulants. The system's capacity for destroying these contaminants rapidly, effectively, and at a substantial energy savings was evaluated.